NHS “single-sex” Guidance

Today, NHS England has updated the “Privacy, dignity and safety in hospital accommodation guidance” to reflect the changes to the EHRC Code of Practice on sex.

The guidance states that NHS patient accommodation should be provided on the basis of sex assigned at birth. In instances where it would not be clinically appropriate to care for a trans patient on a ward or bay that aligns with their sex assigned at birth, providers should identify alternative arrangements.

Decisions on where to accommodate trans patients will be made by individual healthcare workers based on clinical need, and clinical staff must not compromise the dignity, privacy, safety and care of trans people. Decisions about where a patient is accommodated should also be made in partnership with the patient wherever possible.

This puts NHS healthcare workers in a difficult, contradictory position, and it is unclear if this could result in trans patients receiving different levels of care, or different levels of inclusion depending on where they live.

We are going to analyse the guidance in detail and provide trans people with more information on how it may impact your healthcare and what your rights are.

For health workers, we’re going to support you to provide as inclusive care as possible, and how to advocate for your trans patients.

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There’s a lot of fear and uncertainty in the community right now, and we’re feeling it too. If you’d like to talk to someone, please reach out.

• For those over 18, please reach out to our Support Line on 0800 640 8046, via WhatsApp on 07592 650 496 or by email on supportline@genderedintelligence.co.uk.
• For those under 18, please reach out to Mermaids Support Line, (Monday – Friday, 1pm – 8:30pm) on 0808 801 0400.

If you need support over the weekend, please see the following services:

• For those over 18, please contact Switchboard LGBT+ (Every day, 10am-10pm) on 08000 119100.
• For those under 18, you can text MERMAIDS to 85258 for 24/7 mental health support from Shout.